Thought Leadership: The Rise of 1:1, At-Home Education

Why more families are choosing learning that adapts to the child and how 1:1 with Megan Smones is redefining success

The fastest-growing idea in K–7 education isn’t another app, curriculum, or test. It’s a return to something beautifully simple: a skilled educator working 1:1 with a child, in the family’s own home, with a program designed around that child’s strengths, needs, and rhythms. Elite Private Teachers, founded by educator Megan Smones, sits at the forefront of this shift, offering an intentionally student-centered model that prioritizes deep learning, confidence, and flexibility. 

Why 1:1, at home education is rising now

Families today are navigating crowded classrooms, variable teacher availability, and schedules that don’t always fit real life. Violence in schools and bullying is on the rise. The solution many are choosing is not “more of the same,” but personalization: instruction that moves at a child’s pace, targets precisely what matters, and fits within the family’s day, not the other way around. EPT’s programs are built for that reality: in-home, one-to-one teaching that meets students where they are and helps them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. 

Beyond convenience, 1:1 instruction consistently delivers two hard-to-replicate advantages:

1. Precision – A teacher can observe thinking in real time and adjust on the spot, accelerating where a child is ready and backfilling gaps before they calcify. EPT emphasizes targeted support across core subjects in the comfort of home, which is exactly where that kind of fine-tuned instruction shines.

2. Belonging – Children learn best when they feel seen. EPT’s admissions process begins with a conversation with a hand selected tutor, ensuring each plan starts with the child’s story, not a template. That relational fit is foundational to motivation and outcomes.

And the broader education landscape supports this shift: demand for bespoke tutoring and homeschooling solutions surged in recent years and has remained strong, as families seek flexible, high-quality alternatives to traditional constraints. 

What sets Megan Smones’ approach apart

Megan brings well over a decade of hands-on experience with children from early childhood through middle school, and she’s built EPT around the practices that actually move the needle: clear goals, steady routines, and explicit skill-building in literacy, numeracy, executive function, and social-emotional learning. 

Her public writing gives a window into the craft. EPT resources unpack the five pillars of reading, the role of homework balance in elementary years, and practical strategies like tape (bar) diagrams in math, signals of a leader who prioritizes evidence-informed teaching rather than buzzwords. 

Learning that adapts to the child not the other way around

At EPT, “adaptation” isn’t just pacing it’s the entire design:

• Customized scope & sequence: Instruction is mapped to the child’s current mastery, not just age or grade. The result is momentum without the frustration of work that’s too easy or too hard.

• Whole-child outcomes: Plans explicitly target academic growth and confidence, self-management, and curiosity protective factors that translate into long-term success far beyond a single unit test.

• Family-fit logistics: In-home sessions remove the friction of commutes and allow learning to unfold where children feel most secure. From the first call, families work directly with Megan to shape a plan that works for their routines and goals.
  

Redefining “success” in K–7

Traditional models often equate success with coverage and compliance: finish the book, check the box. EPT reframes success around mastery, independence, and joy:

• Mastery: Children demonstrate understanding through explanation and application, not just recall. Tools like bar models in math and structured reading routines build transferable problem-solving.

• Independence: Executive-function mini-lessons planning, task initiation, reflection are woven into academics so students learn how to learn.

• Joy & confidence: Progress is visible and personal, which fuels motivation. That virtuous cycle is hard to create in groups but natural in 1:1.
  

From tutoring to full-time options

Because families’ needs vary, EPT supports a continuum from targeted private tutoring to full-time, at-home education for K–7 learners. That range matters: when a child needs a different daily experience (for acceleration, remediation, travel, health, or focus), the program can expand without losing the core 1:1 ethos. 

A founder who stays close to the work

One hallmark of genuine quality: leadership that listens. At EPT, inquiries connect families directly with Megan Smones, who learns each child’s story before recommending a path. That’s not just good service; it’s good pedagogy alignment on goals from day one. 

How to get started

Families begin with a conversation about the child’s current profile and aspirations, then co-design a plan that blends targeted subject support with habits of mind that make learning stick. The end goal isn’t just higher grades, it’s creating a resilient, curious learner who knows how to tackle the next challenge with confidence. 

Bottom line: In an era of one-size-fits-none, 1:1, at-home education offers a compassionate and highly effective alternative. With Megan Smones and her team of Elite Private Teachers, families aren’t forced to fit into a system, the system flexes to fit the child. That’s how success is being redefined: one learner, one plan, one confident step at a time.